Hans was born in Elbing, Germany to Moritz and Johanna Fabian on August 1, 1926. Hans, his parents and older sister, Eva Tina Fabian were refugees of Nazi Germany who immigrated to the United States in August of 1941, settling in Syracuse NY. After completing Vocational Technical High School in 1944 Hans joined the US Army and after undergoing NCO intelligence training, he was stationed in Germany. Here he served his country as an interrogator and public research specialist for the American Military Government. Upon his return, Hans earned a BA degree from Syracuse University and, there, during a summer while working for the American Friends Service Committee, he met Myra Lou Williamson. Myra, a Quaker from Muncie Indiana, and Hans shared strong beliefs in human rights, equality and justice as well as a deep respect for education. They were married on August 19, 1951 in Syracuse, both earning their respective Master's degrees shortly thereafter. Hans then took a position as Library Director and Assistant Professor at Wilmington College after earning his M.S. degree in Library Science from Syracuse. Hans and Myra welcomed their daughter, Christine Elizabeth, into their lives in the fall of 1956. While at Wilmington, Hans was instrumental in initiating a film and lecture series as well as bringing soccer to campus by organizing Wilmington's first team. Hans, and his growing family, moved on to Ohio State University where he served as a graduate teaching assistant, instructor of modern languages and graduate languages librarian. Hans earned his PhD from OSU in German Literature in 1963, the same year he and Myra brought their son, Erik William aboard. In 1964, Hans accepted a position with The University of Michigan where he became a much appreciated, and respected, educator until his retirement in 1995. His dedication to undergraduate teaching was demonstrated throughout his years on campus in the role as faculty advisor of the Max Kade German Residence Hall, and in serving as Resident Director of the University's year-abroad program in Freiburg on two separate occasions. Alumni of the Freiburg year abroad have established The Hans Fabian Endowment to support Michigan students studying in the Freiburg program. Awards from this Endowment are awarded in years in which Michigan is responsible for the consortium program, and the first such awards will be made in the coming year. While his main area of academic interest was German Expressionism, Hans wrote on other modernist authors, and pioneered courses in German Film and Business German that remain staples of Michigan's curriculum to this day. Hans shared his father's love of the sea with his family; actively sailing and racing both in Michigan and on 4th Lake in New York's Adirondack Mountains